Compare towns
Oxford vs Sutton vs Wareham vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oxford has the most affordable homes ($375k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Oxford | Sutton | Wareham | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,385 |
9,452Lowest |
23,302Highest |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±2.8Lowest 5% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Oxford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Oxford and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,862±$10k about the MA average |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
| Sutton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,900±$18kLowest 33% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$142Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,467±$155 17% below MA |
| Wareham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,622 23% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,289 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Oxford and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #245 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oxford | Sutton | Wareham | Auburn |
| High school in town | Oxford High | Sutton High School | Wareham Senior High | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
12.6Highest |
8.6Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.